| 摘要 |
An inflating system for use in supports, mattresses, cushions, and the like is shown. In their erect configurations, the supports have opposed, end portions interconnected to a tubular, longitudinal portion to form an airtight chamber. The longitudinal portion comprises flexible material. Transverse, vertical cross-sections of the longitudinal portion have a high surface area relative to their corresponding rectangles. These are the rectangles with equal perimeter and equal width, where width is the maximum dimension. This geometric efficiency causes the cushions to be highly supporting when stretching of the support material is limited. The supports are inflated by moving the stiffened end portions from a horizontal configuration to a vertical one. This causes air to be drawn into the airtight chamber through a valve. The air is then trapped to form an air cushion. Various embodiments are shown. Pulling and attaching mechanisms can facilitate erecting and inflating. The bottom portion may include a plurality of rigid members. The end portions may be stiffened by a frame. The end portions may have pockets to hold temporary stiff members. A one-way valve may be used as the intake valve. Also, the invention allows for multi-chamber embodiments. The supports of the present invention can be used in many applications. Some of the uses contemplated include: collapsible air mattresses, portable wrist-rests, adjustable lumbar rests, and comfortable seat cushions.
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